Haus der Demokratie Leipzig

The Haus der Demokratie Leipzig stands as a protected cultural heritage monument in the Connewitz district, serving as a center for political education, social initiatives, and democratic engagement activities.

Originally constructed between 1901 and 1903 by architect Otto Wilhelm Scharenberg as a municipal orphanage, the building later served various functions including a Wehrmacht hospital during World War II before becoming the SED city administration headquarters until 1989.

Since 1990, the building houses multiple cultural facilities including the Tanzcafé Ilses Erika, Kinobar Prager Frühling cinema bar, Leipzig Environmental Library, and the Citizens' Movement Archive, promoting arts, culture, and democratic education.

Located at Bernhard-Göring-Straße 152 in Connewitz, the building offers 682 square meters of space for workshops, exhibitions, lectures, and discussions, with regular programming focused on human rights and democratic participation.

Memorial plaques commemorate children from the former orphanage who were murdered in Nazi euthanasia facilities, while Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) placed outside the building honor these young victims of the Holocaust.